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Sault Ste. Marie to Host 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

The Canadian Curling Association announced today that the Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held at the ESSAR Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, January 30 – February 7, 2010.
The city has successfully hosted other national events, including the 2008 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, the 1990 Brier and the 1978 Lassie (the forerunner to the Scotties), which was won by Manitoba’s Cathy Pidzarko.
“The Scotties Tournament of Hearts is the premiere event in women’s curling in Canada,” said Greg Stremlaw, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Curling Association (CCA). “This annual event is supported in a significant way by the title sponsor, Kruger Products Limited. Kruger’s unprecedented support for this marquee event has endured since 1982 with the inaugural championship in Regina.
“As we move into the Olympic year in Canada, the Canadian Curling Association is very pleased that the Scotties will be returning to Ontario, with Sault Ste. Marie playing host in a very unique timeslot prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games”, continued Stremlaw. “We know that Sault Ste. Marie and the Host Committee will do a wonderful job.”
The Host Committee of close to 500 volunteers will be chaired by Sandra Randa. “I am very excited to welcome curlers and fans to our city”, she said. “We will be rolling out the red carpet as we showcase the best women curlers in Canada with all the excitement leading up to the Olympics.”
“We are very pleased to be returning to Ontario for the eighth time in our 29-year history sponsoring the Scotties Tournament of Hearts”, said Mario Gosselin, Chief Operating Officer of Kruger Products. “All of us at Kruger are proud to be the longest corporate sponsor of amateur sport in Canada. Curling is a part of our heritage. It’s a grass roots sport enjoyed by Canadians in communities from coast to coast to coast. We’re looking forward to taking the Scotties Tournament of Hearts to Sault Ste. Marie – the heart of the Great Lakes and Canada.”
Tickets for the event are expected to go on sale in February of 2009.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts involves 10 provinces plus teams representing Yukon/Northwest Territories and Team Canada (defending champion) playing in a round robin, leading to the Page Playoff system involving the top four teams. The first and second place teams meet in the Page 1 vs 2 game, with the winner advancing to the final while the loser goes to the semi-final. The third and fourth place teams meet in the Page 3 vs 4 game, with the winner advancing to the semi-final game while the loser is eliminated.
The 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be televised exclusively and extensively in Canada by TSN, from the round robin, through the Page Playoffs, semi-final and final.
When the Lassie was held in Sault Ste. Marie back in 1978, it marked the last time the Canadian women’s curling champion was determined by round robin play only. In 1979, the Lassie went to a round robin preliminary followed by a three-team playoff and for the first time the final was televised live across Canada.
The winner of the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sault Ste. Marie will represent Canada at the Ford World Women’s, to be held March 20 – 28, 2010 in Canada, at a site to be announced in the near future.
The 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, February 21 to March 1, with the winner advancing to the world women’s curling championship in GangNeung City, Korea, March 21 – 29.
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For more information contact:
Warren Hansen
Director, Event Operations and Media
Canadian Curling Association
604-329-9850
[email protected]
Sandra Randa
Host Committee Chair
2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
705-945-8792
[email protected]